Just to be sure, the Orland Park resident called Golden Rule on Oct. 1 and asked what constituted a "routine physical." Klinefelter said she was told bloodwork related to the physical would be covered.

A week later, she had the bloodwork and a mammogram done at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox. About a month after that, Klinefelter's doctor completed the rest of the physical.

Klinefelter had no idea there was a problem until she received an explanation of benefits statement from Golden Rule on Dec. 10, denying coverage for everything except the mammogram.

Confused, she called Golden Rule and said she was told the doctor's office had incorrectly coded the physical. After some checking, she discovered that the doctor had labeled the physical "routine," but added the word "fatigue."

Convinced that it was a simple mistake, Klinefelter had her doctor remove the fatigue diagnosis, then resubmit the charges to Golden Rule under the correct code.

In the months that followed, Klinefelter called her doctor's office, the hospital and Golden Rule repeatedly, hoping to get the coverage sorted out. Starting in early May, she made small monthly payments to the hospital under the understanding that the hospital would not send her to collections, she said.

She also formally appealed the insurance company's initial denial.

In early June, Golden Rule ruled on Klinefelter's appeal. The health insurance company agreed to pay for her office visit but not for the bloodwork.

She filed a second appeal.

On July 30, Golden Rule responded — again denying payment for the bloodwork.

Two weeks later, she received a letter from a collection agency, which was trying to collect $1,497.65 on behalf of Silver Cross Hospital for the bloodwork.

Klinefelter said Golden Rule paid similar charges for bloodwork completed on her husband at about the same time. She said she cannot fathom why the insurance company won't pay for hers.

"It's really crazy," she said. "I have no explanation for why my husband's services were paid but not mine."

Part of the sticking point, she said, could be that her doctor ordered a thyroid test to be included with the bloodwork. It is unclear whether that test is considered routine, she said. If it isn't, Klinefelter said she could understand paying for that test, which she said cost about $500. Either way, the other $1,000 should be erased, she said.

Klinefelter also requested help from the Illinois Department of Insurance.

"I've called all over the place," she said.

Golden Rule, she said, simply won't pay.

The Problem Solver contacted Ellen Laden, a spokeswoman for Golden Rule, a UnitedHealthcare company. On Monday, Laden emailed to say her company was reviewing the case.

"We cover preventive services as required by the Affordable Care Act and the terms of the health plan the customer has chosen," Laden wrote. "We rely upon the information submitted by a customer's health care providers in making claims determinations. This includes diagnosis and procedure coding used by the provider."

Laden said that after Klinefelter initially inquired about coverage and payments, Golden Rule "requested medical records from her providers and additional claims were determined to be payable," apparently referring to charges related to the office visit.

The spokeswoman said Golden Rule is conducting another review of her claims based on her request for help from the Illinois Department of Insurance.

"When it is completed, we will be back in touch with her," Laden said.